The festival wrapped its 31st edition with an April 28 ceremony honoring winners of the main competitions, with Flóra Anna Buda and Benoît Chieux, respectively, taking home the big awards.
The 31st Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film came to an end after six days full of highlights from the world of animation. The festival culminated April 28 with the ITFS awards ceremony and the announcement of winners of the competition program, which was preceded by the Animated Games Award Germany. Winning films of the Children's Competition, Tricks for Kids, were announced Sunday afternoon on the open-air stage and then screened for free on the big screen. The German Animation Screenplay Awards, the Trickstar Business Award and the ASIFA Prize had already been presented on Thursday, April 25 as part of the AniX Awards.
A total of 138 short and feature-length films were screened in five competitions and discussed by the international juries. Cinema audiences could also vote and award prizes.
Annegret Richter, Artistic Director of Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH, and part of this year’s new festival management alongside Heike Mozer, noted, “The festival had a very special atmosphere. Even the late-night film programs were fully booked, and new offerings like a live-drawing challenge were a huge hit. We couldn't be happier.”
The categories and winners:
International Competition
Grand Prix: State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Stuttgart Grand Award for Animated Film with a cash prize of 10,000 Euro
27
Director: Flóra Anna Buda
France, Hungary 2023, 10:44 min
Special Mention:
Mariupol. A Hundred Nights
Director: Sofiia Melnyk
Ukraine 2023, 7:26 min
Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award for Animated Film: Award for the best graduation film with a cash prize of 10,000 Euro, sponsored by MFG Film Funding Baden-Württemberg
Dodo
Director: Yi Luo
Germany 2023, 12:36 min
Special Mention:
Recordari
Director: Carolina Cruz
Germany 2024, 9:31 min
The ITFS Audience Award: Given with a cash prize of 6,000 Euro, sponsored by SWR (regional broadcasting for southwest Germany)
Mee and Burd
Director: Greg Mcleod
United Kingdom 2023, 7:48 min
AniMovie: Award for the best animated feature film
Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds (Sirocco et le Royaume des Courants D’air)
Director: Benoît Chieux
France, Belgium 2022, 76 min
Special Mention:
Lonely Castle in the Mirror (Kagami no kojō)
Director: Keiichi Hara
Japan 2022, 116 min
Student Competition: Award for the best student film with a cash prize of 2,500 Euro, sponsored by LFK Landesanstalt für Kommunikation Baden-Württemberg and MFG Film Funding Baden-Württemberg
It’s just a whole
Director: Bianca Scali
Germany 2023, 10:37 min
Special Mention:
Oliver the Giant (Oliver, az óriás)
Director: Júlia Lantos
Hungary 2023, 8:14 min
Trickstar Nature Award: Award for the best international animated short film that deals with the topics of climate protection, biodiversity, environment and sustainability, with a cash prize of 7,500 Euro, sponsored by Verband Region Stuttgart
On the 8th Day (Au 8ème Jour)
Directors: Agathe Sénéchal, Alicia Massez, Elise Debruyne, Flavie Carin, Théo Duhautois
France 2023, 8:12 min
Special Mention:
About a Cow (O krávě)
Director: Pavla Baštanová
Czech Republic, Suisse 2023, 12:52 min
Animated Games Award Germany: Award for the best animation based German computer game with a cash prize of 5,000 Euro, sponsored by MFG Creative Baden-Württemberg
Closer the Distanc
Studio: Osmotic Studios GmbH
Publisher: Skybound Games
Genre: Narrative Life-Simulation
Tricks for Kids: Award for the best children’s animated film with a cash prize of 4,000 Euro, sponsored by Studio 100 Media
#doudouchallenge
Directors: Alexandra Delaunay-Fernandez, Julie Majcher, Marine Benabdallah-Crolais, Noémie Segalowicz, Scott Pardaillhe-Galabrun, Sixtine Emerat
France 2023, 6:18 min
Special Mention:
The Story of Bodri (Historien Om Bodri)
Director: Stina Wirsén
Sweden 2022, 13:05 min
Tricks for Kids Audience Award: Award for the audience’s favourite of the ITFS Children’s Film Festival with a cash prize of 1,500 Euro, sponsored by L-Bank
The Mystery of Missing Socks (Kadunud Sokid)
Director: Oscar Lehemaa
Estonia 2023, 19:44 min
ASIFA Prize: Since 1985 ASIFA has awarded a prize for the outstanding achievements in the art of animation. The ASIFA Prize is awarded annually to individual(s) or organization(s) which have made a significant and innovative contribution towards the promotion and preservation of the art of animation.
This year the internationally recognized prize is awarded to the Czech filmmaker Michaela Pavlátová.
German Animation Screenplay Award: Award for the best German screenplay for an animated feature film with a cash prize of 2,500 Euro, sponsored by Animation Media Cluster Region Stuttgart (AMCRS)
Das NEINhorn
Authors: Marc-Uwe Kling, Marcus Sauermann
Producer: Nicole Kellerhals
Production: X Filme Creative Pool
Special Mention:
Die Olchies – Dino-Alarm!
Author: Toby Genkel
Producer: Sunna Isenberg
Production: gretels gold GmbH
Award for the German screenplay with the biggest international market potential with a cash prize of 1,500 Euro, sponsored by Pink Parrot Media
Out of Frame
Authors: Keiron Self, Giles New
Producers: Emely Christians, Sonja Matthes
Production: Ulysses Film Production
TRICKSTAR Business Award: Award for the best innovative and groundbreaking business model in the field of animation with a cash prize of 7,500 Euro, sponsored by Verband Region Stuttgart
Black Goblin
Ana Betancourt (CEO), United Kingdom
Special Mention:
Zeuniks
David Aguirre Hoffmann (Art Director & Illustrator), Germany
Source: ITFS
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
